单个熔体包裹体激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱分析及地质学应用

熔体包裹体可以保留岩浆被捕获时的温度、压力及化学组成等信息,为研究岩浆结晶演化过程提供最直接有效的手段;然而由于取样方法、仪器分辨率和灵敏度等技术手段的限制,熔体包裹体研究(尤其是熔体包裹体成分研究方面)发展相对缓慢。本文在简述熔体包裹体特征与分类的基础上,总结了目前熔体包裹体成分研究的主要技术手段,包括技术特点、适用范围及样品制备等;详细介绍单个熔体包裹体激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)原位分析技术(原理、优缺点、定量方法等),并重点阐述分析过程中可能产生的元素分馏、基体效应及激光剥蚀技术要点等。单个熔体包裹体LA-ICP-MS原位分析技术的发展和完善,避免了传统熔体包裹体成分分析技术需加热均一化、样品制备繁琐等缺点,可直接对成分复杂矿物表面100 μm以下以多相形式存在的熔体包裹体进行整体分析,数据精确度可与电子探针分析和二次离子质谱相媲美,增加了样品中可分析熔体包裹体数量,更全面地反映岩浆演化信息,省时、高效、准确,极大地推动了熔体包裹体研究的发展。近年来,国内外单个熔体包裹体LA-ICP-MS原位分析技术应用于地质学和矿床学领域,在地球深部岩浆过程及岩浆热液矿床成矿理论等方面取得了重要成果。随着激光、质谱等设备的发展及定量方法完善,单个熔体包裹体LA-ICP-MS分析的准确性将进一步提高,同时单个熔体包裹体同位素原位分析技术的发展和应用将再次为熔体包裹体研究带来革命性进展。     

High Sensitivity Analysis of Trace Element-Poor Geological Reference Glasses by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

Fifty-two trace elements in NIST SRM 614, 616 and MPI-DING BM90/21-G glass reference materials as well as in NIST SRM 612, USGS BCR2-G and other MPI-DING reference glasses (KL2-G, GOR132-G, GOR128-G, ATHO-G, Tl-G, StHs6/80-G and ML3B-G) were determined by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Accurate ultra-low trace element abundances in the NIST SRM 614, 616 and BM90/21-G reference glasses down to lower ng g⁻¹ levels were determined with relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 10%. Limits of detection using He as carrier gas were up to two times lower than with Ar and were 0.004 to 0.12 μg g⁻¹ for elements of lower mass numbers (amu < 85) and 0.002 to 0.06 μg g⁻¹ for elements having amu < 85. The measured concentrations generally agree within 15% with previous studies except for B in NIST SRM 614 and 616, which appears to be heterogeneously distributed, and Co, Zn, Ga and Ag in NIST SRM 616 for which the existing data set is too small to evaluate the discrepancies. New values for As (0.593 μg g⁻¹), Ag (0.361 μg g⁻¹) and Cd (0.566 μg g⁻¹) in NIST SRM 614 and new values for Na (94864 μg g⁻¹) and As (0.276 μg g⁻¹) in NIST SRM 616 are reported.     

Accurate U-Pb Age and Trace Element Determinations of Zircon by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

Various zircons of Proterozoic to Oligocene ages (1060-31 Ma) were analysed by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Calibration was performed using Harvard reference zircon 91500 or Australian National University reference zircon TEMORA 1 as external calibrant. The results agree with those obtained by SIMS within 2s error. Twenty-four trace and rare earth elements (P, Ti, Cr, Y, Nb, fourteen REE, Hf, Ta, Pb, Th and U) were analysed on four fragments of zircon 91500. NIST SRM 610 was used as the reference material and ²⁹Si was used as internal calibrant. Based on determinations of four fragments, this zircon shows significant intra-and inter-fragment variations in the range from 10% to 85% on a scale of 120 μm, with the variation of REE concentrations up to 38.7%, although the chondrite-normalised REE distributions are very similar. In contrast, the determined age values for zircon 91500 agree with TIMS data and are homogeneous within 8.7 Ma (2 s ). A two-stage ablation strategy was developed for optimising U-Pb age determinations with satisfactory trace element and REE results. The first cycle of ablation was used to collect data for age determination only, which was followed by continuous ablation on the same spot to determine REE and trace element concentrations. Based on this procedure, it was possible to measure zircon ages as low as 30.37 0.39 Ma (MSWD = 1.4; 2 s ). Other examples for older zircons are also given.     

激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱元素微区分析标准物质研究进展

激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)是目前地球科学分析领域的重要技术手段,元素微区分析标准物质研制是该分析技术发展的重要方向。本文对当前LA-ICP-MS元素微区分析标准物质的种类、元素分布以及应用上的优缺点和标准物质的制备方法进行了评述。现有的有证标准物质数量不多、种类不齐全,部分元素浓度较低,定值不确定度较大,应用上受到较大的局限性;研制标准也不成熟,均匀性检验方面尚未有统一的方法。本文参照岩石粉末标准物质均匀性检验方法提出了两步均匀性检验法,同时指出在标准物质种类方面,铂族元素及Au元素浓度适当、Pb-S等不同硫化物基体标准物质,以及化学成分不同的碳酸岩和磷酸岩基体标准物质是当前的迫切需求;在标准物质研制技术方面,纳米岩石粉末压片技术的研发、原位微区分析标准物质(固体)均匀性检验判别标准研究是亟待解决的问题。     

Determination of Lithium, Beryllium and Boron at Trace Levels by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Sector Field Mass Spectrometry

The analytical capabilities of laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS in determining Li, Be and B at trace levels in geological samples have been tested on a series of glass reference materials and natural samples. The LA-ICP-MS instrument used consisted of a sector-field ICP-MS coupled with a laser ablation microprobe operating at either 266 or 213 nm wavelength. Reference glasses from NIST (SRM 612, 614 and 616) and MPI-DING (KL2-G, ML3B-G, StHs6/80-G, GOR128-G, GOR132-G, T1-G and ATHO-G) were selected to develop the analytical method and to assess the best instrumental configuration. A series of calcic amphiboles with different Li, Be and B concentrations were also analysed using both LA-ICP-MS and SIMS to test the applicability of the method to natural minerals. Results indicated that with a spot size of 40 μm the agreement between measured and reference values of Li, Be and B is generally better than 10% for NIST SRM 612 and 20% for NIST SRM 614. Average reproducibility at the 2s level was 10% for Li, 20% for Be and 15% for B. Limits of detection were approximately 100 ng g^-1 for Be and B and 200 ng g^-1 for Li. These results were confirmed by analyses carried out on natural amphiboles and compared well in terms of precision and accuracy with those commonly achieved by SIMS.     

主编絮语

第一行过渡金属元素及痕量贵金属元素高度富集在硫化物矿物中,常形成具有工业意义的矿床,使得硫化物具有重大的经济价值。对天然硫化物矿物中的这些痕量金属元素丰度及其分布的研究,在矿石成因学、经济地质学、环境地球化学等领域具有重要的应用价值。激光剥蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)微区分析技术是一种强大的痕量元素分析工具,非常适合直接分析硫化物矿物中痕量元素的浓度及其空间分布。由于硫化物的激光剥蚀特性与硅酸盐及氧化物不同,分析校准用的标准物质又极度缺乏,严重阻碍了这一技术在硫化物矿物微区分析中的应用。本文评述了硫化物简介、硫化物中痕量金属元素分析的意义、LA-ICP-MS微区分析技术在硫化物矿物痕量元素分析中的优势及近年来的应用进展、硫化物分析中的干扰与校准、包含铂族元素及金的硫化物标准物质的研制进展及合成硫化物标准物质最有应用前景的方法。     

Iolite软件处理LA-ICP-MS线扫描数据适用性研究

LA-ICP-MS分析技术是获取矿物/岩石内部的元素和同位素成分变化的重要手段。在利用该技术对地质样品进行线/面扫描时,仪器输出的初始数据量远远大于点分析,数据的处理和计算是一个关键问题。本文以磷质结核样品为例,阐述了利用Iolite软件进行元素线扫描数据计算的主要过程,包括背景信号的扣除、标准物质信号的拟合、线分析数据的导出等。借助软件自带的分段导出功能,对不同时间和空间分辨率下采集数据得到的结果进行了比较。研究表明Iolite能有效处理线分析数据,分析结果与前人用传统化学全岩法测定得到的元素含量范围相当。对比不同空间分辨率下(10μm、50μm、100μm)获取的数据发现:相对于选用的束斑直径(40μm),在分辨率过小(10μm)或过大(100μm)的条件下获得的数据存在数据波动大以及细节不足等缺陷;而当分辨率(50μm)与选用的束斑直径接近时,数据质量得到最大优化。本研究展示了Iolite软件在处理线扫描数据方面具有很好的应用前景,通过分辨率的选取可实现数据的优化。     

磁铁矿中微量元素的激光剥蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱分析方法探讨

微区原位分析提供了固体物质的元素及同位素组成的空间分布信息,有利于解决不同的地质问题、环境问题和工业方面的问题。磁铁矿中微量元素地球化学组成有助于研究成矿时的物理化学条件和示踪新的矿床。本文建立了利用激光剥蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)分析磁铁矿中微量元素的方法,探讨了选择必要的分析元素,选择合适的内标、外标,选择恰当的束斑大小等方法。以LA-ICP-MS分析澳大利亚Ernest Henry IOCG矿床磁铁矿中微量元素的方法为例,采用NIST SRM 610作为外标,Fe作为内标较为合理;正常情况下采用32~60 μm的激光束,但对于个别样品中磁铁矿颗粒较小,可以考虑使用较小的激光束(24 μm或16 μm);为消除质谱干扰,Ti选择测量⁴⁹Ti,Cu选择测量⁶⁵Cu,Sn选择测量¹¹⁸Sn。     

硫化物矿物中痕量元素的激光剥蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱微区分析进展

第一行过渡金属元素及痕量贵金属元素高度富集在硫化物矿物中,常形成具有工业意义的矿床,使得硫化物具有重大的经济价值。对天然硫化物矿物中的这些痕量金属元素丰度及其分布的研究,在矿石成因学、经济地质学、环境地球化学等领域具有重要的应用价值。激光剥蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)微区分析技术是一种强大的痕量元素分析工具,非常适合直接分析硫化物矿物中痕量元素的浓度及其空间分布。由于硫化物的激光剥蚀特性与硅酸盐及氧化物不同,分析校准用的标准物质又极度缺乏,严重阻碍了这一技术在硫化物矿物微区分析中的应用。本文评述了硫化物简介、硫化物中痕量金属元素分析的意义、LA-ICP-MS微区分析技术在硫化物矿物痕量元素分析中的优势及近年来的应用进展、硫化物分析中的干扰与校准、包含铂族元素及金的硫化物标准物质的研制进展及合成硫化物标准物质最有应用前景的方法。     

激光剥蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱准确测定锆石中钛的含量

外标物质及内标元素的选择是激光剥蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)准确测定元素含量的关键因素之一。文章选用玻璃标准参考物质NIST 610、GSE-1G、BHVO-2G、BCR-2G、ATHO-G、KL2-G和T1-G作为外标,Si或Zr作为内标,对锆石M257中的Ti进行LA-ICP-MS微区原位测定。结果显示,选择Si或Zr作内标,采用BCR-2G、ATHO-G、KL2-G和T1-G作外标时,Ti含量测定值与参考值之间差异均较大,因此它们不适合作外标物质。采用BHVO-2G作外标和Si作内标,NIST 610作外标和Zr作内标,Ti含量测定值与参考值之间的差异均小于4%,因此BHVO-2G和NIST 610可有条件地作为外标物质。选择Si还是Zr作内标,GSE-1G作外标时,Ti含量的测定值与参考值之间的差异均小于3%,说明GSE-1G是较为合适的外标物质。选用GSE-1G作为外标,Si作内标,对5个标准锆石中的Ti含量进行了测定,结果显示,Ti元素在锆石91500中分布不均匀,而在锆石GJ-1、M257、PENGLAI和MUDTANK中分布均匀。在Ti元素分布均匀的GJ-1、M257、PENGLAI和MUDTANK等4个锆石中,由于Ti的含量均小于5μg/g,不适合作为锆石中Ti元素测定用的外标物质,但可作为测定时的质量监控样品。     

白云鄂博稀土氟碳酸盐矿物的LA-ICP-MS多元素基体归一定量分析方法研究

研究稀土氟碳酸盐矿物的激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)成分分析方法能为认识稀土矿床成因提供新的、简便的技术手段。本文选取白云鄂博产的氟碳铈矿和黄河矿,通过对常规基体归一定量法改进,按照稀土氟碳酸盐矿物的晶格配位模式对Ba、Ca元素以(Ba,Ca)CO_3的形式、轻稀土以REECO_3F的形式进行加和归一计算,获得的成分数据结果与电子探针和内标法结果基本吻合。该方法可在ICP-MS因电离能过高、不能准确测量C、F元素的情况下通过基体归一法实现稀土氟碳酸盐矿物多元素的定量分析,并且可替代繁琐的内标法,简化了LA-ICP-MS测试流程。多尺寸束斑条件数据比对结果表明,5μm小束斑条件下数据质量差,但10μm束斑条件下获得的氟碳铈矿成分与其他大束斑条件下的结果较为接近,基本能够满足小颗粒稀土氟碳酸盐矿物元素成分的测定。     

激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱分析石笋样品中多元素比值及45种元素含量

石笋样品的微量元素含量及Mg/Ca、Sr/Ca比值为高分辨的古气候重建提供重要指标。针对现有溶液分析技术易混合多个石笋微层、误差大的缺点,本文利用激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱技术(LA-ICP-MS)原位线扫描和点剥蚀方式对比分析了石笋生长轴方向的Mg/Ca和Sr/Ca空间分布趋势,研究表明二者均展现出显著的周期性变化特征,且周期性变化一致,其中40 μm束斑线扫描更具有稳定性强、分辨率高、快速简便的优点。通过探讨碳酸盐标准样品MASC-3与玻璃标准样品NIST 610、NIST 612、KL2G、ATHO-G的相对灵敏度系数关系和元素分馏行为,确定基体效应是造成相对灵敏度系数变化的主要原因。同时建立了以MASC-3、NIST 610和NIST 612多外标结合内标Ca归一定量分析石笋中45种元素方法,针对石笋碳酸盐样品,将主量元素Ca、Mg变形为碳酸盐形式,与其他元素加和归一,不仅改变了国内外研究中需要预先采用其他分析技术来测定内标元素含量的计算方法,而且有效地避免了C元素无法准确检测的问题,能够实现与Ca内标法校正结果的吻合。     

归一化定量技术在激光烧蚀-等离子体质谱测定石榴子石多元素中有关问题的讨论

讨论了采用相对灵敏度系数进行多外标归一校正的可行性。该校正方法应用于激光烧蚀-等离子体质谱同时分析了未知石榴子石样品中主、次、痕量共43个元素,并与内标法结果进行对比,其一致性令人满意。探讨了激光线扫描和单点剥蚀两种取样方式下,相对灵敏度系数间的变化关系,结果表明,在剥蚀深度基本一致的情况下,取样方式对相对灵敏度系数没有显著影响。     

Determination of Forty Two Major and Trace Elements in USGS and NIST SRM Glasses by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

Forty two major (Na, Mg, Ti and Mn) and trace elements covering the mass range from Li to U in three USGS basalt glass reference materials BCR‐2G, BHVO‐2G and BIR‐1G were determined using laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry. Calibration was performed using NIST SRM 610 in conjunction with internal standardisation using Ca. Determinations were also made on NIST SRM 612 and 614 as well as NIST SRM 610 as unknown samples, and included forty five major (Al and Na) and trace elements. Relative standard deviation (RSD) of determinations was below 10% for most elements in all the glasses under investigation. Consistent exceptions were Sn and Sb in BCR‐2G, BHVO‐2G and BIR‐1G. For BCR‐2G, BHVO‐2G and BIR‐1G, clear negative correlations on a logarithmic scale exist between RSD and concentration for elements lower than 1500 μg g^‐1 with logarithmic correlation coefficients between ‐0.75 and ‐0.86. There is also a clear trend of increasing RSD with decreasing concentration from NIST SRM 610 through SRM 612 to SRM 614. These suggest that the difference in the scatter of apparent element concentrations is not due to chemical heterogeneity but reflects analytical uncertainty. It is concluded that all these glasses are, overall, homogeneous on a scale of 60 μm. Our first results on BHVO‐2G and BIR‐1G showed that they generally agreed with BHVO‐2/BHVO‐1 and BIR‐1 within 10% relative. Exceptions were Nb, Ta and Pb in BHVO‐2G, which were 14‐45% lower than reference values for BHVO‐2 and BHVO‐1. Be, Ni, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Sn, Sb, Gd, Tb, Er, Pb and U in BIR‐1G were also exceptions. However, of these elements, Be, Nb, Sn, Sb, Gd, Tb, Pb and U gave results that were consistent within an uncertainty of 2s between our data and BIR‐1 reference values. Results on NIST SRM 612 agreed well with published data, except for Mg and Sn. This was also true for elements with m/z 85 (Rb) in the case of NIST SRM 614. The good agreement between measured and reference values for Na and Mg in BCR‐2G, BHVO‐2G and BIR‐1G, and for Al and Na in NIST SRM 610, 612 and 614 up to concentrations of at least several weight percent (which were possible to analyse due to the dynamic range of 10⁸) indicates the suitability of this technique for major, minor and trace element determinations.     

激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱-电子探针分析白山堂铜矿中的黄铁矿成分

通过激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱（LA-ICP-MS）获得被测物相中痕量元素的丰度值是目前原位分析矿物物相的技术之一。黄铁矿作为斑岩铜矿中的重要矿物,其主量、微量元素的特征能为成矿过程提供重要信息。本文建立了应用LA-ICP-MS测定黄铁矿微区微量元素组成、电子探针（EMPA）测定主量元素的方法,并将该方法应用到白山堂斑岩铜矿区。LA-ICP-MS实验采用60 μm的激光束对分析样品进行斑点式剥蚀,以氦气作载气,重复频率5 Hz,激光能量约6 J/cm2;单点分析时间60 s,分析数据以Fe作内标,用MASS-1黄铁矿标样进行校正,多数元素分析精度好于10%。针对黄铁矿与毒砂光学性质相似,容易混淆的问题,可以利用二者物理性质的差异进行区分。测试结果显示：矿区黄铁矿的主量元素呈亏硫高铁的特征,指示其为热液成因;微量元素特征表明其形成深度为中部,属与火山作用有关的中低温热液型黄铁矿。此结论对白山堂铜矿的成因类型、成矿流体来源等提供了相应的证据,对矿区的勘查具有理论指导意义。     

In Situ Determination of Au and Cu in Natural Pyrite by Near‐Infrared Femtosecond Laser Ablation‐Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry: No Evidence for Matrix Effects

Gold and copper concentrations were determined in natural pyrite by near‐infrared femtosecond LA‐ICP‐QMS, using both sulfide reference materials (pyrrhotite Po‐726 and in‐house natural chalcopyrite Cpy‐RM) and NIST SRM 610 as external calibrators. Firstly, using NIST SRM 610 as the external calibrator, we calculated the Au concentration in Po‐726 and the Cu concentration in Cpy‐RM. The calculated concentration averages for Au and Cu were similar to the values published for Po‐726 and Cpy‐RM, respectively. Secondly, we calculated Au and Cu concentrations taking NIST SRM 610 as an unknown sample and using Po‐726 and Cpy‐RM as external calibrators. Again, the average values obtained closely reflected the preferred concentrations for NIST SRM 610. Finally, we calculated Au and Cu concentrations in natural pyrite using sulfide and silicate reference materials as external calibrators. In both cases, calculated concentrations were very similar, independent of the external calibrator used. The aforementioned data, plus the fact that we obtained very small differences in relative sensitivity values (percentage differences are between 5% and 17% for ⁵⁷Fe, ⁶³Cu and ¹⁹⁷Au) on analyses of silicate and sulfide RMs, indicate that there were no matrix effects related to the differences in material composition. Thus, it is possible to determine Au and Cu in natural sulfides using NIST silicate glasses as an external calibrator.     

Preliminary Characterisation of New Glass Reference Materials (GSA-1G, GSC-1G, GSD-1G and GSE-1G) by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Using 193 nm, 213 nm and 266 nm Wavelengths

New glass reference materials GSA-1G, GSC-1G, GSD-1G and GSE-1G have been characterised using a prototype solid state laser ablation system capable of producing wavelengths of 193 nm, 213 nm and 266 nm. This system allowed comparison of the effects of different laser wavelengths under nearly identical ablation and ICP operating conditions. The wavelengths 213 nm and 266 nm were also used at higher energy densities to evaluate the influence of energy density on quantitative analysis. In addition, the glass reference materials were analysed using commercially available 266 nm Nd:YAG and 193 nm ArF excimer lasers. Laser ablation analysis was carried out using both single spot and scanning mode ablation. Using laser ablation ICP-MS, concentrations of fifty-eight elements were determined with external calibration to the NIST SRM 610 glass reference material. Instead of applying the more common internal standardisation procedure, the total concentration of all element oxide concentrations was normalised to 100%. Major element concentrations were compared with those determined by electron microprobe. In addition to NIST SRM 610 for external calibration, USGS BCR-2G was used as a more closely matrix-matched reference material in order to compare the effect of matrix-matched and non matrix-matched calibration on quantitative analysis. The results show that the various laser wavelengths and energy densities applied produced similar results, with the exception of scanning mode ablation at 266 nm without matrix-matched calibration where deviations up to 60% from the average were found. However, results acquired using a scanning mode with a matrix-matched calibration agreed with results obtained by spot analysis. The increased abundance of large particles produced when using a scanning ablation mode with NIST SRM 610, is responsible for elemental fractionation effects caused by incomplete vaporisation of large particles in the ICP.     

Multi-Elemental Analysis of ATHO-G Rhyolitic Glass (MPI-DING Reference Material) by Femtosecond and Nanosecond LA-ICP-MS: Evidence for Significant Heterogeneity of B,V, Zn,Mo, Sn,Sb, Cs,W, Pt and Pb at the Millimetre Scale

This paper reports on the application of variants of LA-ICP-MS – including infrared femtosecond laser ablation (fs-LA) inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) and nanosecond laser ablation (ns-LA) coupled with single-collector sector-field (SF-) ICP-MS – to the in situ determination of trace elements in different splits of the reference material (RM) ATHO-G (MPI-DING). Analyses of the materials performed by fs- and ns-LA-ICP-MS demonstrated the efficiency of the techniques with typical accuracy at a level of ≤ ± 20%. One ‘anomalous’ split, however, displayed a significant discrepancy from the reference concentrations for B, V, Zn, Mo, Sn, Sb, Cs, W and Pb. Three- to six-fold enrichment of V, Mo, Cs and Pt relative to the reference contents in this split is likely to have been due to direct contact of the silicate melt with Pt crucible walls and ceramics. Boron, Zn, Sn, Sb, W and Pb depletion relative to the reference concentrations is probably due to siderophile element adsorption by the Pt walls and/or related to the formation of volatile-depleted compositional cords during the preparation process. Our results imply that additional precautions should be taken against volatile/siderophile element heterogeneity in marginal/surface layers (≤ 10 mm) during the preparation of RMs by the fusion technique.     

Development of a Matrix‐Matched Sphalerite Reference Material (MUL‐ZnS‐1) for Calibration of In Situ Trace Element Measurements by Laser Ablation‐Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Mass Spectrometry

Sphalerite (ZnS) is an abundant ore mineral and an important carrier of elements such as Ge, Ga and In used in high‐technology applications. In situ measurements of trace elements in natural sphalerite samples using LA‐ICP‐MS are hampered by a lack of homogenous matrix‐matched sulfide reference materials available for calibration. The preparation of the MUL‐ZnS1 calibration material containing the trace elements V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Tl and Pb besides Zn, Fe and S is reported. Commercially available ZnS, FeS, CdS products were used as the major components, whereas the trace elements were added by doping with single‐element ICP‐MS standard solutions and natural mineral powders. The resulting powder mixture was pressed to pellets and sintered at 400 °C for 100 h using argon as an inert gas. To confirm the homogeneity of major and trace element distributions within the MUL‐ZnS1 calibration material, measurements were performed using EPMA, solution ICP‐MS, ICP‐OES and LA‐ICP‐MS. The results show that MUL‐ZnS‐1 is an appropriate material for calibrating trace element determination in sphalerite using LA‐ICP‐MS.     

Precise and Accurate In Situ Determination of Lead Isotope Ratios in NIST,USGS, MPI‐DING and CGSG Glass Reference Materials using Femtosecond Laser Ablation MC‐ICP‐MS

Lead isotope ratio data were obtained with good precision and accuracy using a 266 nm femtosecond laser ablation (fLA) system connected to a multi‐collector ICP‐MS (MC‐ICP‐MS) and through careful control of analytical procedures. The mass fractionation coefficient induced by 266 nm femtosecond laser ablation was approximately 28% lower than that by 193 nm excimer laser ablation (eLA) with helium carrier gas. The exponential law correction method for Tl normalisation with optimum adjusted Tl ratio was utilised to obtain Pb isotopic data with good precision and accuracy. The Pb isotopic ratios of the glass reference materials NIST SRM 610, 612, 614; USGS BHVO‐2G, BCR‐2G, GSD‐1G, BIR‐1G; and MPI‐DING GOR132‐G, KL2‐G, T1‐G, StHs60/80‐G, ATHO‐G and ML3B‐G were determined using fLA‐MC‐ICP‐MS. The measured Pb isotopic ratios were in good agreement with the reference or published values within 2s measurement uncertainties. We also present the first high‐precision Pb isotopic data for GSE‐1G, GSC‐1G, GSA‐1G and CGSG‐1, CGSG‐2, CGSG‐4 and CGSG‐5 glass reference materials obtained using the femtosecond laser ablation MC‐ICP‐MS analysis technique.